ROME: Italy reported 634 coronavirus-related deaths on Tuesday against 528 the day before, the health ministry said, while the daily tally of new infections rose to 14,842 from 13,720.

The first Western country hit by the virus, Italy has seen 61,240 COVID-19 fatalities since its outbreak emerged in February, the second highest toll in Europe after Britain. It has also registered 1.757 million cases to date.

There were 149,232 swabs carried out in the past day, up from a previous 111,217, the ministry said.

Patients in hospital with COVID-19 stood at 30,081 on Tuesday, down 443 from the day before.

There were 192 new admissions to intensive care units, while the number of intensive care patients decreased by 37 to 3,345, reflecting those who died or were discharged after recovery.

When Italy's second wave of the epidemic was accelerating fast in the first half of November, hospital admissions were rising by around 1,000 per day, while intensive care occupancy was increasing by about 100 per day.